An Essential 80s Rack Unit!(1989 Alesis QUADRAVERB)

[@davidjohn8743]

Plugged mine in today for the first time in about 20 years lol it screeched and howled unrelenting. I sprayed the pots and that cleared it up. Plugged it back in and no menu or programs. Apart again and the connector I moved to spray the pots , was not put back on properly by me . I put it back right and working like a charm again . I love it

[@robflewell7706]

You were BORN in 89? Jeezuz, that makes me feel old. lol.

[@mikestillwagon5675]

We had a vocal patch called "Turd Polisher". Chorus, delay, verb, compression, etc. It was marginally effective.

[@NewUser2495]

I'm interested in the settings, haha

[@helio1055]

Thats wayy funnier than “skank guitar” lol

[@terenceyoung1304]

I know this is 3 yrs old but I have some insider info if anyone is interested. In 1993 I bought 2 30th Anniversary Marshall heads. Within 3 months they both developed the same problem so I wrote to Marshall explaining my disgust. In 1994 I was invited to the factory for a tour by Mike Hill while they fixed them ending in a pub lunch with Mike and Jim Marshall himself! During the tour I met their R&D guy in a tiny room upstairs, the guy who invented the 30th Anniversary amp. He asked me what I was using it with as he put out a cigarette! I said "an '84 Les Paul and a Quadreverb" He laughed, moved his chair to reveal an '85 Les Paul behind him and pointed to a Quadreverb on his bench saying "that's exactly what I used to design the f*%king thing!"

[@fuzzysurf1083]

In the 1990s, I worked for a music software company in Southern California. Just about all the guitarists I worked with had one of these. The Quadraverb was about all anyone talked about in those days.

[@BigHairyGuitars]

BAM! 80's!!! I'm in.

[@kingofdragontown9680]

Was definitely anticipating this one. Love the Quadraverb and the "It's Not Love" intro.

[@bradylasserre9320]

My favorite effects unit. Essential for 90s warp reverb. Boards of Canada, Aphex Twin, ect. Love it!

[@TeleCustom72]

I remember having a Quadraverb sitting on top of my Silver Jubilee half-stack just for some reverb. They were great units capable of all kinds of tones. Great choice of intro song too - the tone on Its Not Love is monumental.

[@JazzWaveTech]

Thank you Robert for keeping the 80s content alive in your channel. Especially for us 80s shredder fans.

[@calansvc]

I love hearing young guys talk about stuff I grew up on. :) I still have my Quadraverb GT, Microverb III, and some other stuff that I bought new back in the 80's and early 90's. Also sold a ton of it that I wish I hadn't (SPX90, Midiverb II, ADA MP-1, etc). The excitement back then when a new piece of rack gear came out was a lot higher than when a new pedal, modeler, plugin, etc. comes out today...because it was all brand new and being invented every day. Although I have the Helix, IR's, tons of pedals, etc... some of that old rack gear has a vibe, feel, and nastiness to it that still can't be topped.

[@stevenfarmer1477]

Omg thank you for making this video!! My dad passed away and left me his and it's just been sitting on my studio desk because I haven't been able to find a good video on it. He played acoustic and sang so never thought I'd really be using it. Thanks again for making this!!! Made my freaking day brotatoe!!🤘🤙

[@tommynoble3428]

Time to go back to the 80s? My dude, I never left.

[@LeonTodd]

"Let's do it y'all WOOOO" is also how i react to every one of these videos you do.

[@mikemarien3246]

I still have and use mine in the studio every now and again. It was and still is an awesome reverb unit!

[@christopheranderson2158]

YES!!!! The Quadraverb and an MP-1 was a killer rig! Played many gigs with that setup. Damn! Now I need to find a Quad again! 🤘

[@johnhoward2687]

Another good video. Love the Lynch at the open. As someone who graduated high school in ‘89, I still listen to 80’s music all the time. Love the 80’s stuff. Thanks Robert.

[@kalebaldwin5398]

A friend of mine (who is now deceased) who owned a bar I used to play/rehearse at regularly had one of these in the effects rack for the house PA (or it least I think it was a Quadraverb....it might have been a later model or even a Midiverb). It was one of the more modern pieces in the rig (his equipment was pretty much all stuff from the 80s that had seen better days, including old Peavey mixers with analog V/U meters and super heavy speakers/subs that also functioned as furniture). This stuff was in use up until his final show (which happened to be my band), almost exactly 3 years ago.

[@hyperbolekid]

Nice job Robert, you nailed “It’s Not Love” and “Wanted Man” !

[@doyrayburn2668]

Still got mine. Bought it in 1998 along with a rack, light module, power cond, samson wireless and a fender twin 65 reissue all for 400.00.

[@BrettPapa]

OMG yes!!! Takes me back! Now I'm missing mine!!

[@seldonsinq]

Quadraverb was the holy grail of rack effect units! I wanted one so bad back in the day!!!

[@josem.frazao3485]

I had one in 80's but only used in voices, it was the best effects processor in that time and stills good.

[@JeremyWhiteShow]

So fun!! Just got a Lexicon PCM 70, the other proper 80’s rack verb 🤘🏻

[@timothyholmes4588]

my alesis was a great unit used that thing for years with an MP 1 . amazing tone and it was so easy to use .great delay chorus reverb I miss my rack.

[@BoomerCovers]

I had the Quadraverb GT which added guitar preamp. Great sounds and midi patched presets for 128 songs! But ultimately I used my Halfler T2 preamp with three tubes and gain that was out of this world!

[@mksounds6326]

The GT was the Alesis Holy Grail. It was the GT or the ART SGX. We started small with the Midiverb and saved our money for the Quad, then Quad+, until we could get the GT. I went with a Quadraverb in the rack of a Fender M-80 Pro head into a Boogie 4x12 slant cab/half-open back (two 90w, two 150w Black Shadows). Most bay area metal guys went ADA MP-1 or Quad GT into a Boogie 50/50 to full stack. Good times. MK

[@thedanksavatron7782]

Quadroverb is the #1 piece of gear I regret selling in the 90s. It was awesome!

[@aquilarossa5191]

It was not really 80s, because we did not get these until the early 90s. But what it did was can all those 80s effects into one unit. It was common to see them sitting underneath an ADA preamp and run into a JCM800 head set clean. I remember people wanting this unit more than Lexicon or the Eventide stuff. Another thing lots of us has were those Boss micro racks.

[@Agsded1973]

Sounds like the absolute best tones 80s mainstream metal had to offer ... Ratt.... Whitesnake..... Van Halen.... Cinderella... Scorpions.... Warrant.... Skid Row... Winger ... Pretty much any band that had a top 10 rock chart song.... You can create it with this device ... Amazing!

[@misterbarroso]

I LOVE my Quadraverb!

[@kalejoe6599]

Mick Mars uses one of them : ), It sure sounds AMAZING especially when used by someone who knows how to play.

[@RyanMcMusic]

That Funky lil delay tune "Going Crazy" at 8min 30 is badass dude, I love the complete musicality in your off the cuff jamming to the delay pulse Rob. Brian May style with an 80s tinged voice for the win! You're an inspiration man, both in your level of playing and what you've achieved, thanks for the great stuff.

[@californiamusic]

Totally! Best sounding guitar processor I've owned.. and great tune to start this out with!!

[@jambothruster]

Yup, like many have already commented: I ran an MP1 through a Quadraverb in the late 80s. VERY easy to program. Ran mine through a Marshall 8000 series (or was it 9000?) power amp and a couple of Marshall 4x12s. More people had that type rig than didn’t back then. Think I’ll go out to my garage and dig through boxes right now and see if they still power up. It’s been decades!

[@nordicguitar8395]

I got one in 89 when they were new. That and an ADA MP1 was my sound for a LONG time. Great unit.

[@Ron_Padgett]

I still have one of these...collecting dust. This makes me want to break it out and play with it again!

[@DarioGrillo]

Hey man, The riff at 10:40 it is amazing ! Yeeahhh

[@kingbrutusxxvi]

I still have mine and, while I've bought the Helix's and a Kemper and on and on, my Quadraverb (mine's a 1988 I bought new) still sounds so good. Instant '80s distortion better than anything else I've ever played. Want to sound like Lynch or Gilbert in their heyday? Find a Quadraverb.

[@barrywhite7741]

Used to be a frontman. Used this live with a power mixer onstage and a midi foot switch to trigger vocal effect presets within a single song live back in the early 90s. Great piece of kit.

[@mikeivey8471]

Love the quadraverb !!! That thing was & still is a Beast in the FX unit world !!

[@joesatchton212]

As a semi-old guy I am delighted to see this renewed focus on the frickin' awesome tones from the 80s and early 90s, especially from guys like you and RJ Ronquillio... Proud to say - I WUZ THERE... haha....And I always wanted an Alesis Quadraverb myself as well as one of those ADA Preamps that Paul Gilbert endorsed. XD Nowadays, not gonna lie - the majority of my presets on my Helix and Boss GT1000 do try to emulate a lot of those epic 80s/90s tones.

[@exploretheeclipse8051]

Amazing reverb unit! My Dad let me try his Quadraverb GT, I felt like I was playing in RATT or Dokken.

[@freebridgemedia893]

yep...had mine running into my Mosvalve Tubeworks Power Amp into my Dean Markley half stack. 80's bliss!

[@allendean9807]

Love me the Alexis verb units! I wish i still had my old midiverb 2.... dang it

[@chrislestermusic]

My Midiverb ll is part of my rig. Love that unit. That’s right, I said unit.

[@mikeg.9238]

One of my favorite of many dokken song's , George Lynch was badass back in the day. "Back for the attack" was the best album IMO...

[@mksounds6326]

Got the CD in my car as we speak. MK

[@mikeg.9238]

@@mksounds6326 Nice!🤘

[@glendoski1611]

Dokken rhymes with Rocking! Bring back the 80s! The quadverb is an awesome piece!

[@kingofdragontown9680]

The last show I got to see before this pandemic was Dokken with George Lynch in March. Great show!

[@glendoski1611]

@@kingofdragontown9680 was going to see them maybe 2 years ago around here, but George wasn't with them. They came last year, but couldn't make it.

[@zepp3lin]

Had mine since 1992 the Quadraverb GT version nope I did not sell it, the display burned out but I replaced it with a Dark Blue Backlighting with white greyish letters and it look cool. Run it with ADA MP1 and it's Paul Gilbert time.

[@MarcMercier1971]

Power cables where hard wired on most rack mount... so the cables won't flop out from transit, rough handling, bouncy stage causing them to work out, etc. The cables we all love and know as the IEC-C13 that your PC has WILL work out on the road. Nothing like being on stage and digging your hand into the rack to plug the power back in to a piece of equipment that just shut your gig down. LOL!

[@pendragyn]

That was just fun to watch. You nailed the Dokken sound perfectly.

[@SaveManWoman]

I upgraded to Quadraverb 2 just recently. 30 Years later it’s toll best on the market. I sold m32 and this unit did it.

[@usagi2988]

Miracle Man... what a riff, what a bridge, what a solo...

[@FabrizioPeretti]

Got one, i can onestly say it sounds better than my helix, even though i can't tell why LOL. Those reverbs are just more tridimensional, more concrete!

[@BaconFire]

I STILL have this Alesis QuadraVerb in my rack with my ADA-MP1 and Microcab. Have had these since early 90s. They age well and sound great for my retro based music recordings.

[@timothy5974]

I wish I would have purchased the ADA MP1, I have this and the Microcab as well. Just can’t seem to find MP1.

[@NoCoverCharge]

Had one back in the late 80’s played the hell out of it

[@micwalt]

Yeah! My rig in the late '80s - early '90s was a Boss GL100 preamp, a Quadraverb, and a SS Peavey amp into a Peavey 4x12 cab. I had the hair metal tones!

[@Imokyourok440]

I bought a Quad GT at a local pawn shop. Less than $100 and everything works perfect. Goes great with my MP1. I also found a MiDi Moose switcher pedal for $50!

[@MrSpike7590]

I've had one since they came out!! I've gone through many amps but it is has been part of every rig I have used since I bought it!!

[@anthonytremblett8187]

I do enjoy these vids. Being around all through those days, I remember all those tones from one thing or another.🎶✌

[@G10v4nn1]

Hell yeah, finally! Totally agreeing on what you said about the power cables, that's why I modded my Pro G.A.P with a C14 inlet...

[@DarioGrillo]

Good sound alesis 🔝 80s

[@mksounds6326]

In the late 80's/early 90's my set up was a Fender M-80 Pro head (with a Quadraverb in the rack) into a Boogie 4x12 slant-back, half open, with two 90w and two 150w Black Shadows. Plenty loud enough to keep up with a bass player with two 15's, eight 10's and five 8's in his stage rig (and direct to FOH). A lot of the Bay Area metal bands at the time used ADA MP-1's into a Boogie 50/50 with full stacks. I prefered the Fender dirty tone and reverb so I went with the M-80. Thanks for the vid. MK

[@malcolmbliss777]

I had one of these, but I sold it to get the Alesis Q2. Which replaced the Quadraverb. I bought two, actually, back 15 years ago, when everyone was dumping their outboard gear. Paid $120 each for them. Now they’re back up to 3 and 4 hundred bucks. I believe the original quadraverb were 16 bit. The Q2’s were 24 bit. The Q2 has better DA and AD converters, but they’re identical to the ear when used with a guitar. I love all things Alesis. Almost all things.

[@steveeckert8396]

I still have mine and it still works :o)

[@stargroves14]

I have a six pack of midiverb II s...i still love them

[@T0n3zon3]

I run my ADA MP1 through one of these. When they are both fired up they open up a wormhole allowing me to transport myself back to the 1980s!

[@LockRocker]

I have a Q2 Quadraverb that's probably a later version than this, a bit more navigable with larger brighter screen and a rotary scroll wheel. Display shows virtual pedals and patch cables where you can assign routing paths and tweak parameters of effects blocks within the chain. Its like looking at pedals on the floor, rearranging and tweaking them. It also has adat digital out on rear and double function left right input and output levels a true stereo processor. Haven't seen a Q2 recommendation on you tube but they're out there, still working.

[@6stringgunner511]

Ohhhh man!!!! The sounds of my youth!!! Love that ROCKIN' with DOKKEN tone!!! MORE 80's please.

[@chrisggoodwin777]

I believe it's pronounced, "ah-lee-sis." It's got some pretty cool 80s tones! PS is that a Keith Williams tee you're sporting?

[@Thirdgen83]

I still have mine and love it.

[@CircuitBendingFool]

Alesis ruled my Tascam days. MidiVerb II, Midiverb 4, NanoVerb, Nano Comp! All very user friendly!

[@RotterStudios]

I loved this unit and miss it.

[@chadcampbell7572]

Still have mine

[@Vigilius60]

This is my old rig: JCM800 + Quadraverb + Intellifex. I still have everything even though I haven't turned them on for a very long time

[@rocketpoolpki]

Doooood, I had a Quadraverb and an Akai S950 ..fully loaded with 2 and a quarter meg memory...hahahaha...it was all I could afford at the time and not until 94'...atari ST running Cubase 2 on a floppy disc feeding into a Mackie 1604, which I actually kept and used wayyy into the Naughties...

[@johnrocha6212]

I remember all of these devices from the 80's and if I'm correct most of these had a setting to change the display angle to make it easier to read, depending on where it was placed.

[@richbrack431]

I still have my QUADRAVERB GT with overdrive & distortion.

[@woltrap1]

See if you can get your hands on a GK250ML/RL. The guitar tone of Rush - Power Windows, Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time and Seventh Son.

[@earthlydescent]

Still own one, I thought it was great. It does detune great.

[@curtisprice9806]

I remember there were 4 racks that came out ' 88/'89....Yamaha SPX 90, Digitech DSP 128, ALESIS Quadraverb, can't think of the last one of the four at this moment. These rack multi effect boxes were great for the many effects that had awesome sounds like found on albums! My Digitech DSP 128 cost $430.00 in '89. But people hear me ..I will say it loud and clear ( I mean text it lol) the effects units don't have analog chorus, flange, phase which like Eddie Van Halen said about digital reproduction in the 80' and 90's...."I can hear the space between the one's and the zero's!" Digital to me was like a flat picture, compared to the 3 dimensional experience when personally in the picture!!! My Digitech DSP 128 does have some cool sounds that are programmable and can be controled by midi in real time.

[@shankflanker]

I saw Testament play Storyville in New Orleans about 30 years ago. A tech showed me Skolnick's rack and he was using the ADA MP1 through one of these into a couple of racked Marshall heads. Certainly covered the heavier side of things pretty well with that setup. I'm pretty certain I bought my ADA after that. Still got it.

[@jakeswanson2638]

Man Robert you have been killin it lately. Love the 80s stuff you are putting out along with all other content. Keep it up man. 🤘🏼🎸

[@EasyHeat]

Really dig these throwback vids being a Class of 94' H.S. grad. Man this gear takes me back! LMAO!

[@justinrayguitars6024]

Dammit George would be proud of that. Nailed it!

[@georgew.morrowiii118]

That jam at around 9 minutes in was EPIC !!!

[@larslevinberget9558]

Everyone had a quadraverb in 1990 with the ADA MP1, a BBE, Rocktron Hush II, Peavey Classic series 60/60 power amp into Marshall 1960 cabinets ;D

[@AndrewCCM]

A LEE SIS. Still have mine. Haven’t turned it on in 20 yrs.

[@davidhoxit4274]

Ratt! It's not just for breakfast anymore! Thanks Rob! Great playing...I enjoyed this immensely!!!!!

[@ianmiller1000]

I also wanted to know if there's any way to get an SPX-90 Symphonic setting on these with one of the flangers or choruses. Mine has a preset called "Amazing Bass" that sounds very similar to the Andy Wallace SPX-90 bass sound, but it's not as effective on guitar.

[@divebombstudios7706]

Just got one off ebay last night. Can't wait to hook it up to my a/da mp1!

[@MrChristopherTennant]

Thanks for doing this, Robert. I remember all the ads for these units in the guitar magazines. Cool to see (hear?) what they actually sound like.

[@ultrajayme]

I wish I could add a photo. I have a quadraverb gt, midiverb4 and Yamaha spx90 all currently daisy chained and running into an ABY which then goes into a couple Orange and a Vox combo amps

[@TheTimeProphet]

I have a alesis midiverb 4. Works perfectly, except the backlight has gone. sounds good though

[@ianmiller1000]

I just picked one of these up for $40 as an impulse purchase and it's worth every cent! One thing I noticed is the presets on mine are different than yours and many others', either in terms of name or sound. I'm assuming the previous owner, who was a teenager when he bought it, customized the settings. Is there any way to restore them to default?

[@swampwhompa]

Was looking at one of these for early Aphex Twin style reverbs and choruses, good to know it does 80s really well too!

[@DeltaWave72]

I loved mine, along with a big honkin' Peavey Deuce.

[@Peter_Stoops]

Ada Mp1 and a Quadraverb was a pretty common rig in the early 90’s, quite a few people had em’.....

[@monmixer]

I still have my effectron ADM 256 that I used for verb and slap back delay. An original Rat pedal, Boss chorus CE - 2. Dyna comp. That was the extent of my rig. Tube amp of course.

[@mikeking7582]

I still have one of those, I used a midi foot pedal and sync'd it with an ADA MP1

[@jfredricks2394]

yeah I remember these.. Alesis was actually considered a "lesser' brand at one point.. then all of the sudden in 94 or so... they came out with the ADAT multi-track recorder and they took off like no other.. everybody wanted an ADAT and a Mackie 3208 then

[@wmacky]

Huge 80's metal tone fan - As young bedroom player, I couldn't afford a nice fancy rack setup way back then ......... BUT I CAN NOW!!!!!!!!!! Just bought a ADA MP-1, and a Quadraverb. Man these recent 80's rack mount video by several guitar guys sent prices through the roof! Ok, anyway, now what else to add? Dual band graphic eq? Intelifex? I'm sharing with my synths also, so I'll need a rack line mixer to tie it all together. Maybe a patch bay?